Posted by Nice Guy on 2/21/05 2:01pm
Msg #21639

Blue Ink...Suppose to be Black...Oh Well!

I was given a closing assignment. It was very close to my office. I took it for $90.00.
I received the confirmation and it said the fee was $40.00. I received the confirmation right before the closing. I went ahead and closed the loan at the scheduled time. Before I left I tried to contact the SS and I left a message about the fee being not acceptable. Never heard back from SS. Closed Loan. Tried to contact SS again, left message. Reviewed papers, so I could send them after they had to be faxed back to Lender. To make a long story shorter I noticed they were to be signed in black Ink and I used Blue. Oh well I guess I'm not going to fret over this I probably won't get paid anyway and I might as well have not been paid if the confirmation was for just $40.00. I feel like I was a nice guy by going ahead and making the appointment and following through....I could give a --------about the Blue/Black Ink Issue! What would you do and your fees differed would you go ahead and close the loan as scheduled without talking to someone first?

Reply by Ernest_CT on 2/21/05 2:08pm
Msg #21640

If they say "blue", use blue. Period.

When the confirmation lists a price other than the verbally agreed-on fee, I call IMMEDIATELY to get it corrected. Whether or not it was an honest mistake is never brought up.

You may get paid $40; you may not get paid at all. Personally, I don't have any hope that you'll be paid $90.

Reply by Ernest_CT on 2/21/05 2:15pm
Msg #21642

Blue Ink: Here's why some require it.

Some companies prefer blue ink because the blue color makes it easier to tell the originals from the photocopies.

Some companies may deduct $xx from your fee if you use black instead of blue (or vice versa).

Reply by ERNA_CA on 2/21/05 2:11pm
Msg #21641

I would have insisted on a confirmation stating the right fee before leeving for the signing. I have had a similar situation in regards to ink. Received a emergency siging, printed the doc's and left for the signing. When i returned i had an email waiting for me with instructions to use blue ink, i had used black. I was told that it was not a problem.

Reply by Art_MD on 2/21/05 2:20pm
Msg #21643

I have noticed somewhere in the docs for a closing that blue or black was acceptable - except in one state. This leads me to believe that recording docs in blue or black is possible in all states but one. This leads me to believe what the lender wants has nothing to do with the recordability or legality of the docs.

Art

Reply by PAW_Fl on 2/21/05 2:47pm
Msg #21653

I agree, Art_MD. It is the lender that makes the ink color choice.

Lancaster County, PA states the following in the Recording guidelines:
"SCANNING: Since all recording in our office are scanned into a database, please use black ink, black stamp pads, black typewriter ribbons and white or manila paper. Since scanning is used as the medium for recording documents, marginal notes do NOT apply in this county.

UNACCEPTABLE DOCUMENTS: Only legible documents capable of being clearly scanned will be acceptable for recording. If a document mailed to us is unacceptable for recording for any reason, it will be returned to the sender with a letter of explanation and a fee of $5.00 will be charged for both the first and any subsequent times it must be returned."

I do believe there is one state that specifies recordable documents must be signed in black ink, but I don't remember which one.

Reply by Nice Guy on 2/21/05 2:51pm
Msg #21654

I appreciate the input but I felt like I had accepted the assignment and their were borrowers waiting for me. I do care about my fees and I hate being lied to but I felt like the borrowers deserved for me to be there at the appointment as scheduled. It's not their fault the SS changed the fee. As far as the ink issue I could care less, the documents signed in blue ink is perfectly acceptable for filing or whatever they need. It just hate not doing my job as instructed. These signing campanies want more and more from notaries and want to pay less and less. I normally don't complain but I'm over it!

Reply by Nice Guy on 2/21/05 2:58pm
Msg #21660

Thanks again for the remarks but here is another thing. If they won't return my calls about the fees then I'm not going to return the calls if the docs have to be resigned because I'm sure they will want it to be included in the $40.00 they wanted to confirm with me. I'll do alot of things if people are nice and do what they say . . . . because it is not all about the money. But ignore and lie to me. I don't think so. I hate the ink color was wrong but it's there loan now and they can take care of it. They can find another nice guy!

Reply by ERNA_CA on 2/21/05 3:38pm
Msg #21676

I started out the same way. Ms nice allwys. I go above and beond to make sure things go right. But I learned the hard way that some ss's will try and send you a confirmation with a lower fee. I call them right away and tell them I am waiting for a corection. I have heard every excause in the book but they do send a corected one.
Stay nice

Reply by CaliNotary on 2/21/05 10:38pm
Msg #21748

I think there's a difference between being a nice guy and being a chump. It's nice to be concerned about the borrower, but you shouldn't screw yourself over because of it.

If I received a confirmation with less than half of the agreed upon fee, there's no way I would go out to the signing until it was cleared up. I'm not gonna screw myself out of half of my fee because a signing service is incompetent or unethical.

Business is business and I make sure I always keep that in mind. I'll go the extra mile, but it's not going to be to my detriment when I do it.

Reply by cicely/ca on 2/21/05 11:10pm
Msg #21753

If I don't receive a confirmation or the agreed upon fee ,I immediatley contact the ss and tell them,"like Visa"I don't leave home without it!

Reply by Charm_AL on 2/21/05 3:58pm
Msg #21680

this is a nightmare revisited for me...I started out the signing, equipped each borrower with blue ink as requested. About 10 minutes into the signing, their three year old was on Top of the table trying to intercept docs going around. I did everything I could to keep the docs from getting torn or crunched that I never realized the ink got changed to black and the last half of the docs were in black. The only thing I was concerned with was getting everything signed and getting it back fast!
I enclosed an apology to the SS stating "As you will see, the signing was started in blue ink"...then briefly explained what happened. Never got a reply, got my full fee. That was the first signing that I dreaded turning in...it's amazing how this job can keep you up at night

Reply by Nice Guy on 2/21/05 4:38pm
Msg #21688

I understand completely, like I said before, if they can change my fee and not answer my calls,
losing sleep is not even something I would think about letting myself do. We always want to do as we are instructed. Most SS companies you would want to work for will understand different situations.

Reply by Bob-Chicago on 2/21/05 4:38pm
Msg #21687

Tip that usually solves problem

Reply by Blonde on 2/21/05 4:41pm
Msg #21690

Re: Explain.....Tip? Advice ? Money? Don't Get It! n/m

Reply by BrendaTX on 2/21/05 4:44pm
Msg #21691

Bob is "blonde" ...

Bob is "blonde," and a premature poster, as well, you see.

Reply by Bob-Chicago on 2/22/05 12:23am
Msg #21755

Re: Bob is "blonde" ...

Telling a "blonde" joke to a blonde, is not as bad as telling an "Aggie" joke to an Aggie. If you do, then you need to budget at least another half hour to explain the punch line.

Reply by BrendaTX on 2/22/05 5:49am
Msg #21761

Re: Bob is "blonde" ...

Telling a "blonde" joke to a blonde, is not as bad as telling an "Aggie" joke to an Aggie. If you do, then you need to budget at least another half hour to explain the punch line.

I deserved it.

Reply by Bob-Chicago on 2/21/05 4:49pm
Msg #21692

OOPS

Unless the instructions re: ink color are clear (sometimes in six point type on the middle of page 6 of instructions) , I make a blue "x" where bwr is supposed to sign, and have them sign in back.
It makes it easier for them to see where to sign, and further, if it turns out the docs were supposed to be in blue, there is a blue mark on each page, so that title co and lender can tell the original from the copy, which is usually the reason for blue ink in the first place.
As to the confirmation issue, I think that you did the right thing to keep the appointment. It certainly was not the bwr's fault.
It may have been an honest error on the part of the service, or they may be bad folks. I hope that you get paid as you understood.
Once I receive overnight docs, I feel an obligation to do the singing if , at all, possible.

Reply by Happy_in_Fl on 2/22/05 6:58am
Msg #21765

Re: OOPS

Guess it would be to your advantage , to e-mail and fax the S/S as well as leave a voice message, saying you sent the fax and e-mail, that your fee is $90 and not $40 as per their confirmation. (they called you- you made a contract with them verbally- they backed it uo in writing with the incorrect terms, so til your contract is as agreed mutually, I don't believe there is a meeting of the minds). (Real Estate jargon)

Then I would copy, the fax and e-mail and put them in my open Manila folder for the signing- making my customary note on cover with the date and time- and what I did.

Then if the s/s did not respond within the time frame needed, for you to get to the closing- you could decide what you prefer to do. (believe me they will call- it happened to me)

But definately document what you did to correct the situation, kinda like ' keeping the ball in the S/S court". Their are a lot of s/s out there who will take you for a ride. When you find a good outfit- stick with them-- but always give them the benifit of the doubt, at least once.

Thats my humble opinion. (in times past, they said "You gotta out-fox the fox!) FWIW!

Reply by Nice Guy on 2/22/05 10:32am
Msg #21784

Re: Happy Ending

I continued to be nice, SS company finally called today to confirm and sent over another confirmation with the right fee. I did let them know that I didn't appreciate the situation and I hoped they appreciated my generousity of closing the loan as scheduled. Lesson learned, this loan was not worth my frustration.